Macy's flagship store in Herald Square is overhauling tens of thousands of square feet for the holidays this year, rolling out a reimagined Santaland with sensory-friendly hours, a sprawling new vendor marketplace, and a wave of fresh retail and dining additions throughout the building. The changes touch nearly every corner of the historic New York City store, from its lower-level shopping bazaar to its famed Christmas window displays.
Among the most notable additions is a set of sensory-friendly hours at Santaland, developed in partnership with the Child Mind Institute to give visitors a lower-stimulation environment, according to Macy's. The retailer says the dedicated times are meant to make the holiday attraction more accessible to guests who find typical crowds and noise overwhelming.
The move echoes a model used elsewhere in retail. Sensory-friendly Santa visits called Santa Cares were scheduled at malls and other locations nationwide for early December 2024, with most set for December 8, according to Disability Scoop. Those sessions relied on trained staff, adjusted lighting and music, and minimal wait times, and they were free and open to people of all ages but required reservations, the outlet reported. Santa Cares events were also scheduled for times when surrounding shopping venues were closed, limiting crowds, per the same report.
A Reimagined Santaland Journey
Beyond the sensory-friendly hours, Macy's is introducing an entirely new Santaland experience. Guests of all ages will board the North Star Express for what the company calls an immersive, multi-sensory journey to the North Pole before meeting Santa, the Macy's statement notes. The attraction will also offer extended time with Santa, expedited entry options, and gifts.
Free Santaland reservations open on Friday, November 20, and will be released seven days before each visit date on a rolling basis, per Macy's. Separately, Macy's Herald Square lists the all-new Santaland experience as beginning November 27, according to the store's own page on Macys.com. For shoppers wanting more than the standard visit, a premium Santaland package is available for groups of up to eight guests at $250 per group, including first-choice scheduling, expedited entry, extended time with Santa, gifts and a complimentary photo package, as reported by Chain Store Age.
Holiday Square Triples Down on Vendors
On the store's lower level, Macy's Holiday Square returns October 31 for its third year with an expanded footprint, transforming more than 50,000 square feet of retail space, per the Macy's newsroom announcement. The marketplace will feature more than 35 vendors, including local artisans, makers, specialty food vendors and New York City staples such as Eataly, Levain and Pearl River Mart. According to the store's own listing, Holiday Square runs from October 31 through January 3, open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The Museum of Ice Cream is also bringing its Sprinkle Pool to the marketplace, the company says. The additions build on reporting from WWD, which detailed the mix of artisans and iconic city food names filling out the expanded space.
New Shops and Food Spots Fill the Flagship
Herald Square has opened new and recently added shops from Coach, Kendra Scott, Kurt Geiger, Michael Kors and Tory Burch, Macy's says. An Aesop event is scheduled to begin October 23, and the Made My Shade by the Beauty Tailor location is scheduled to begin October 31, according to Macy's store listing. On the food side, opening events are scheduled for Frankie's Brooklyn Pizza on November 1, Sunday Morning on November 7–8, and Gong Cha on November 13.
The retailer's holiday windows, a long-running Herald Square tradition, are set to debut November 19, according to Macy's. The season's broader marketing push is built around the campaign theme “There's Magic Inside,” which features actors Melissa Joan Hart and Adam Devine, as reported by MassLive. Hart appears as a Macy's gift guide in the campaign, while Devine plays a gift-seeking customer.
A Milestone Parade and a Charitable Push
This year's holiday season also carries extra significance for Macy's, which celebrates the 100th anniversary of its Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2026, per MassLive's reporting. The retailer is pairing the anniversary with an expansion of its Mission Every One charitable initiative, which partners with Ronald McDonald House, Blue Star Families and Foster Love to create moments for families to connect and celebrate, according to Macy's own announcement.
Sharon Otterman, Macy's chief marketing officer, said meaningful holiday moments begin with discovery and time together, per the company's statement. Taken together, the sensory-friendly Santaland hours, the expanded Holiday Square and the new shops and restaurants are part of the holiday changes at the Herald Square flagship, as detailed in Cleveland.com's coverage of the changes.
